The US Department of Justice has seized more than 1,000 websites and blocked 1,970 domains that illegally streamed FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.
Authorities carried out the World Cup piracy crackdown through Operation Offsides, a joint international action that targets websites distributing copyrighted sports content without permission.
The investigation involved the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, Homeland Security Investigations Washington, and law-enforcement partners in 54 countries.
Operation Offsides Targets Illegal World Cup Streams
The Justice Department’s Criminal Division led the domain seizures after receiving information from FIFA, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, and several entertainment companies.
Those organisations included beIN Media Group, NBCUniversal, the UFC, and Warner Bros.
Operation Offsides involved 14 partners across 54 countries. By the end of June, authorities had taken action against nearly 400 web domains through the operation.
The Justice Department said illegal streaming sites can create risks beyond copyright infringement. Many platforms use malicious advertising, insecure connections, and other tactics that may expose visitors to malware or financial fraud.
Authorities Also Shut Down Sites in Latin America
Law enforcement agencies also ran Operation Red Card with support from the Justice Department’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property program.
The operation blocked hundreds of illegal streaming sites across Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia.
Authorities launched a second phase in Colombia on 10 July. The action led to the arrest of four alleged members of Los Ciberinfiltrados, a cybercrime group that investigators accuse of accessing telecommunications systems illegally and selling pirated streaming content since at least 2024.
Fake FIFA Sites Also Target Fans
The World Cup piracy crackdown follows warnings about fraud targeting football fans ahead of the 2026 tournament.
In May, the FBI warned that fake websites posing as official FIFA services had sold fraudulent tickets and hospitality packages. These sites aimed to steal personal and financial information from victims.
Mexican authorities also shut down 44 domains linked to the PirloTV piracy platform and a sports-streaming network in June.
Investigators said those domains attracted more than 950 million visits each year, including around 230 million visits from Mexico.
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